FREE VIBRATION OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED THIN RECTANGULAR PLATES RESTING ON WINKLER ELASTIC FOUNDATION WITH GENERAL BOUNDARY CONDITIONS USING RAYLEIGH–RITZ METHOD

Abstract

In this paper, free vibration of functionally graded (FG) rectangular plates subject to different sets of boundary conditions within the framework of classical plate theory is investigated. Rayleigh–Ritz method is used to obtain the generalized eigenvalue problem. Trial functions denoting the displacement components are expressed in simple algebraic polynomial forms which can handle any sets of boundary conditions. Material properties of the FG plate are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction of the constituents according to power-law form. The objective is to study the effects of constituent volume fractions, aspect ratios and power-law indices on the natural frequencies. New results for frequency parameters are incorporated after performing a test of convergence. Comparison with the results from the existing literature are provided for validation in special cases. Three-dimensional mode shapes are presented for FG square plates having various boundary conditions at the edges for different power-law indices. The present investigation also involves the rectangular FG plate to lay on a uniform Winkler elastic foundation. New results for the eigenfrequencies associated with foundation parameters are also reported here with the validation in special cases after checking a convergence pattern.